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Dubai Water Canal all set to make a splash next month

Dubai - The bridge over Shaikh Zayed Road is already open in both directions, and bridges over Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Beach Road have been completed.

There is excitement in the air in anticipation of the opening of the iconic Dubai Water Canal next month. This means the Dubai Water Canal, which stretches 3.2km from the Business Bay Canal up to the Arabian Gulf via the Shaikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Road, will be a flowing waterway by year end.
The bridge over Shaikh Zayed Road is already open in both directions, and bridges over Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Beach Road have been completed. The pedestrian bridges over the canal near Safa Park are almost finished, according to Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The RTA also recently displayed at the Gitex Technology Week an HD pedestrian detection camera system and a smart lighting system with tentative WiFi service installed on the Shaikh Zayed Road bridge over the canal.
Although parks, hotels, restaurants, luxury housing and facilities - including walkways, cycle paths, private marinas for boats and a trade centre at the entrance of the project - are yet to be built, residents have no doubt that the project will add "another excitement to the vibrant city of Dubai".
"It will definitely be a plus for Dubai as the tourism sector will benefit from this future landmark," a resident said.
Property developers are also keeping pace with the "fast construction" of the Dubai Water Canal, with one property group recently announcing that Phase 1 of their project at the waterfront, which includes "the UAE's first-ever water-homes, will be delivered by end of next year".
The group CEO said: "(The residences) which are being built on water with pedestrian and boat access, provide unparalleled direct water views ... and have attracted high-levels of local and international interest enhancing Dubai's iconic status as a preferred place to live, work and visit."
Surrounding developments will also get a boost from the Dubai Water Canal. A property expert told Khaleej Times: "There will certainly be a long-term impact, but this will be driven by the quality of projects being announced and delivered around the canal over the next few months and years. The momentum has already been building up for Jumeirah and City Walk as it becomes one of the prime freehold districts in Dubai. The opening of the canal will crystallise their position."
The Dubai Water Canal, announced on October 2, 2013, at a cost of Dh2 billion, will finally be open next month. It will be the start of a journey of discovery with unlimited options for entertainment, leisure, retail and an active lifestyle.
angel@khaleejtimes.com